Walpurgis Night – Nature Travels Blog April 28, 2016 Walpurgis Night Walpurgis Night is a tradition celebrated on the 30th April in northern Europe and Scandinavia. The date strangely is exactly 6 months before All Hallows Eve or as it’s more commonly known – Halloween. Described by Bram Stoker in his short story, ‘Dracula’s Guest’: ‘Walpurgis Night was when, according to the belief of millions of people, the devil was abroad – when the graves were opened and the dead come forth and walked. When all evil things of earth and air and water held revel.’ Photo credit: Ola Ericson/ImageBank.sweden.se ‘Walpurgis Night’ originates from Pagan celebrations of fertility rites and the coming of spring. The name itself is taken from Saint Walburga, an English born nun who was to become Abbess of a monastery in Francia in the 8th century. Walburga was believed to have had the power to cure illnesses of local residents.

Photo Credit: Aline Lessner/ImageBank.sweden.se In Germanic folklore Walpurgisnacht, also called Hexennacht, is believed to be the night when the witches met on the Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, in central Germany. In Germany it is celebrated by dressing in costumes, playing practical jokes, and creating loud noises in an effort to keep evil at bay. Many people also hang blessed plants and foliage from houses and barns in an attempt to ward off witches. In Sweden, typical Walpurgis Night activities include the singing of traditional folk songs, fireworks and the lighting of bonfires. The Vikings, who called it ‘Valborg’ picked up the habit of lighting bonfires to keep away evil spirits and wild animals so that the livestock would not get harmed by witches and evil spirits. They also used the bonfires to celebrate and attempt to bring spring in a bit quicker. Photo credit: Lola Akinmade Åkerström/ImageBank.sweden.se In Sweden many people tidy up their gardens this time of year. The leaves and branches are good material for the bonfires, and so are the Christmas trees after Christmas. In many places, people gather material for their bonfires for months ahead.

Unofficially the goal is to have a bigger bonfire than the next village! Walpurgis Night in Sweden Walpurgis Night in Sweden By Terri Mapes Updated September 30, 2015. Walpurgis Night in Sweden is a very special event and a great way to experience Sweden's traditions. Walpurgis ( Swedish : "Valborg") on April 30 is a widely celebrated event in Scandinavia, most of all in Sweden. Walpurgis Night precedes Labour Day in Scandinavia on May 1 and many Walpurgis events continue over night from April 30 into that holiday. The forms of celebration in Sweden vary in different parts of the country and between different cities. One of the main traditions in Sweden is to light large bonfires, a custom which began during the 18th century. Lighting the popular bonfires began with the purpose of keeping away evil spirits, especially demons and witches. As a final highlight, there are fireworks. Nowadays, Walpurgis Night is usually seen as a celebration of springtime. The Skansen Open Air Museum , for example, hosts Stockholm 's largest historical Walpurgis celebration.

Many Swedes now celebrate the end of long, dreary winters by singing Spring songs. continue reading below our video Tipping Etiquette Around the World These songs were spread by the students' spring festivities and Walpurgis Night celebrations are especially common in university towns like Uppsala - the nightlife in Uppsala is especially active then. Walpurgis (Valborg) being celebrated on April 30 creates a double national holiday in Sweden. On this day, King Carl XVI Gustaf celebrates his birthday. So you'll see Swedish flags all around the country to salute the King and show him respect. May Day/Labor Day (May 1st) follows Walpurgis Night celebrations with a wide choice of events, parades and festivities. History in depth: The joyful celebration around the fire is an old Germanic and Celtic tradition. In Sweden, the land of trolls, witches and elves, Christianity was unable to eradicate this celebration. In late April, in Sweden, the days are getting longer again, temperatures rise, and farmers begin visiting their fields again. This celebration is an annual tradition.

The namesake of the event is the abbess Walburga (also Walpurga or Walpurgis), who lived in the 8th century (710-779). She grew up in England and was from a good family, but orphaned as a child and lived in the monastery as a missionary. She was later sainted. If you are planning to attend such an event during your visit to Sweden, please make sure to pack clothing you can layer. The weather at this time of the year is still rather unpredictable and you may need warmer clothing than expected. Also, weatherproof shoes or boots will be helpful since this is always an outdoor event and may even take place in the middle of a field where it recently rained. Walpurgis in Swedish is "Valborg" and Walpurgis Night in Swedish is called "Valborgsmassoafton". Learn more Useful Swedish Phrases here! Walpurgis Night - Singing in the Spring Back to Facts of the Day Calendar UK Calendar dates british festivals .... folklore ... anniversaries ....

on this day Singing in the Spring Walpurgis on 30 April is a widely celebrated event in northern Europe and Scandinavia, most of all in Sweden. It is a celebration of spring and marked by music, singing, and bonfires. Sweden Sweden celebrates Walpurgis night, or "Valborg" or "Valborgsmässoafton" An evening celebration in which includes the singing of traditional spring folk songs and the lighting of bonfires. Germany Germany celebrates Walpurgis Night, or "Walpurgisnacht", or "Hexennacht" – "witches' night" According to German folk tales, this is the night when witches fly to Mount Brocken in the East of Germany to hold a celebration and await the beginning of spring. The night is marked by dressing in costumes similar to Halloween and by singing and dancing around bonfires. Finland Finland celebrations of "Vappu" (or May Day) begin officially on 30 April, which is known as "Vappuaatto". The celebration is marked by wearing of hats and a carnival atmosphere.

In Finland May Day Fritters (called tippaleipä in Finnish) and Mead (called sima in Finnish), are traditionally served and enjoyed. Valborgsmässoafton 2017 in Djurgården, Sweden | Everfest Location Unconfirmed Skansen Open-Air Museum| Djurgården, Sweden Walpurgisnacht (Witches' Night) is an ancient festival to welcome the spring weather and to drive away evil spirits. Though there are many variations of the festival, it is commonly celebrated with dancing and bonfires on April 30 or May 1 throughout Central and Northern Europe . Strangely enough, it is exactly six months from All Hallows' Eve, more commonly known as Halloween. Like Halloween, Walpurgis has its roots in ancient pagan customs, superstitions where the arrival of spring was celebrated with bonfires at night. The name comes from the 8th century missionary Saint Walburga (variations of the name include Walpurgis, Wealdburg, and Valderburger). Known for speaking out against witchcraft and sorcery, she founded the Catholic convent of Heidenheim in Germany.

She was canonized a saint on the May 1, 779. Since the celebration of her sainthood and the old Viking festival occurred around the same time, over the years the festivals and traditions intermingled until the hybrid pagan-Catholic celebration became known as Valborgsmässoafton (in Swedish) or Walpurgisnacht (in German). Walpurgisnacht Haunts Germany In Germany, Walpurgisnacht is the night when the witches gather together at the Hexentanzplatz (witches' dance), from where they fly up as one to Mount Brocken, where they convene with the devil. Legend says that evil ghosts represented by cold weather, snow and darkness meet with witches and demons in the Harz mountains. Their sinister cavortings around the fire are said to reunite them with the devil. Superstitious nonsense you might think, but you could be in for a surprise. People from all over Germany head to this famous mountain, also known as the Blocksberg, to celebrate the arrival of Spring. The origin of witches night goes back to pagan times, when people believed that evil ghosts tried to prevent the "Queen of Spring" from entering the country.

Witches and demons were masters of people and things, so people did a lot to protect themselves. Believing it was dangerous to be outside on this night people lit fires and danced wildly to deter the witches from coming too close to them or their homes. These traditions led to the custom of lighting fires and erecting maypoles still seen today. Young men in Rhineland may put a branch wrapped in colorful ribbons in the garden of a girl he would like to marry. Young women place these branches in the gardens of young men during leap years. In rural parts of southern Germany, it is part of popular youth culture to play pranks such as tampering with neighbors' gardens, hiding possessions, or spraying graffiti on private property. German police patrol the neighborhoods Saturday night and take appropriate action if necessary. To be on the safe side, residents should take some precautionary measures such as parking their cars in the garage and putting stuff inside that usually sits outdoors such as doormats and flower pots. Sweden In the Middle Ages, the administrative year ended on April 30. Accordingly, this was a day of festivity among the merchants and craftsmen of the town.

This is the night of the bonfire in Sweden, traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits, but now a festive way of getting rid of excess gardening odds and ends. Expect a lot of Swedish flags around as King Carl XVI Gustaf celebrates his birthday on Walpurgis. Modern celebrations , consist of enjoying a breakfast including champagne and strawberries. During the day, people gather in parks, drink considerable amounts of alcoholic beverages, barbecue, and generally enjoy the weather, if it happens to be favorable. Virtually every choir in the country is busy singing the traditional songs of spring. In Gothenburg, the carnival parade, The Cortège , which has been held since 1909 by the students at Chalmers University of Technology, is an important part of the celebration. It is seen by around 250,000 people each year. The most bizarre collection of vehicles makes its way through the streets, accompanied by marching bands, people in costume and thousands of spectators. Students on bicycles, cars that are upside down, sofas with motors, just about anything you can think of.

An important part of the gathering is the ceremonial donning of the student cap, which stems from the time when students wore their caps daily and switched from black winter cap to white summer cap. Other Countries In the Czech Republic it is known as Pálení čarodějnic (Burning of the Witches) and typically celebrated by throwing hand-made witches made from rags and straw or even broomsticks into a bonfire Volbriöö as it's known in Estonia is an important and widespread celebration of the arrival of spring in the country. Modern people still dress up as witches to wander the streets in a carnival-like mood. Nowadays for example in Tartu (a university town) fraternities march with an orchestra and singing to the statue of Karl Ernst von Baer to wash his head with champagne. In Finland, Walpurgis Day (Vappu) is one of the four biggest holidays, up there with Christmas and New Year's Eve. Mentions in Film and Literature Walpurgis Night has featured in a number of films and novels including The Wicker Man and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

On This Day In History: Walpurgis Night Celebration In Northern Europe - On Apr 30 | MessageToEagle.com MessageToEagle.com April 30, 2016 On This Day In History 0 Comment MessageToEagle.com – Walpurgis Night, a traditional holiday celebrated on April 30 in northern Europe and Scandinavia. In Sweden typical holiday activities include the singing of traditional spring folk songs and the lighting of bonfires. The Celts celebrated Beltaine (Beltane), Germans ‘Maifest’, later renamed the Walpurgis night, Noc Walpurgii for Poles, Vappu for Finns and for Swedes – Valborgsnatten. This feast under different names and in various forms exists in most European countries. In Germany the holiday is celebrated by dressing in costumes, playing pranks on people, and creating loud noises meant to keep evil at bay. Many people also hang blessed sprigs of foliage from houses and barns to ward off evil spirits, or they leave pieces of bread spread with butter and honey, as offerings for phantom hounds.

In Finland Walpurgis Night and May Day are effectively merged into a single celebration that is usually referred to as Vappu and that is among the country’s most important holidays. Initially, Walpurgis Night was celebrated by the Finnish upper class. Then, in the late 19th century, students (most notably engineering students) took up its celebration. The origins of the holiday date back to pagan celebrations of fertility rites and the coming of spring. After the Norse were Christianized, the pagan celebration became combined with the legend of St.Walburga, an English-born nun who lived at Heidenheim monastery in Germany and later became the abbess there. Walburga was believed to have cured the illnesses of many local residents. Walburga is traditionally associated with May 1 because of a medieval account of her being canonized upon the translation of her remains from their place of burial to a church circa 870. Although it is likely that the date of her canonization is purely coincidental to the date of the pagan celebrations of spring, people were able to celebrate both events under church law without fear of reprisal.

MessageToEagle.com Celebrating Walpurgis Night in Sweden & Finland - Travel Country & City Home / Sweden / Celebrating Walpurgis Night in Sweden & Finland Celebrating Walpurgis Night in Sweden & Finland (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) backpacker May 28, 2016 Sweden Leave a comment 63 Views Roaring bonfires on a warm spring night, songs of springtime and the end of winter, gravlax and schnapps, white caps and witches – if you’re anywhere in Sweden and Finland on the night of April 30th, these are just some of the things you’ll see, as the entire populace celebrates the ancient festival of Walpurgis Night. --Advertisement-- Walpurgis Night: Its Origins and Traditions Walpurgis Night is celebrated not only in Scandinavia but also in Germany and the Baltic states. The occasion itself is known by many names: Walpurgisnacht in Germany, Vapunaatto in Finland and Valborgsmässoafton in Sweden.

The roots of Walpurgis Night are ancient and stem from the practices of long-ago pagans, who celebrated the coming of summer, and the death of winter, on this day. The celebration adopted a more Christian slant with the martyrdom of a German Abbess named Walpurga which took place at around the same time in the eight century. Many of the traditions associated with Walpurgis Night are strictly local, differing from area to area, or even town to town. Despite all the differences however, there are a few elements which apply without any exception. One of the most striking is the amount of hullabaloo that goes on at night! Rather like Halloween, the idea is that once the sun sets, the people make as much noise as possible in order to scare away the ghosts and spirits. Of course, being required to make a lot of noise really helps set the tone of the whole celebratory atmosphere! The most widespread tradition of Walpurgis Night, especially in Sweden, is the blazing fire. For the ancient pagans, the fire symbolized the growing strength of the summer sun, around which they would gather to take part in fertility rites and other customs.

Though Scandinavia is now staunchly Christian, the fires are still burned and people still gather around the blaze to celebrate the coming of springtime, chatting, drinking – and sometimes engaging in the modern equivalent of fertility rites – until the wee hours of the morning. The fireside celebrations aren’t for just adults though, at least in the early hours of the night, and at almost every bonfire there’ll be parents and families joining in the festivities as well. The younger celebrants have their own traditions too: modern doting parents often dress up their daughters in adorable witch costumes for the night, an amusing reversal of ancient customs, as bonfires were also once lit by superstitious farmers to ward off prowling witches looking for livestock to curse! Another popular youth custom, most commonly found in the smaller towns and villages in southern Sweden, is for teenagers to gather greens and branches from the woods at twilight to decorate village houses; As a reward for their labours (and the fun of wandering in the woods at night), the youngsters are paid in eggs. Another major tradition of Walpurgis Night is the singing.

Many of the songs were first written down in the 19th century, and they speak of the joyous welcome of spring and the end of winter. Unlike many traditional tunes elsewhere, these songs were often preserved and passed on by students during their spring celebrations, which accounts for their modern popularity. Students being students though, there are always a few bawdy songs added on to the repertoire! Often the singing begins as serious performances by trained choirs in the evening, progress to impromptu group sing-along sessions later on, and towards the end of the night, end as incoherent bellowing of half-forgotten lyrics. Of all the traditions associated with Walpurgis Night however, the best known is the truly epic amount of drinking which takes place during the festivities. The traditional drink for the night is mead, an ancient drink brewed from honey. A more modern drink is schnapps, or beer. In a pinch however, anything even vaguely alcoholic will do, and in university towns throughout Scandinavia and the Baltics, the students compete to see who can down the most alcohol throughout the night!

Where To Celebrate Walpurgis Night Though Walpurgis Night is a region-wide celebration, some towns and areas celebrate it more colourfully than others. In Scandinavia for example, the biggest celebrations are predictably in the capital cities, while in Germany, the celebrations are at their most boisterous in Bavaria. If you’re anywhere in Sweden, it is almost guaranteed you’ll see some form of celebration take place. Most of the more riotous celebrations will take place in the university towns of Uppsala and Lund, where both current and graduated students participate in events that stretch from the early morning of 30th April all the way til dawn breaks on the first of May, wearing at all times the white cap every student is presented with on their graduation day. Around the rest of the country, though the festivities are less raucous, they are no less entertaining. As darkness falls on Walpurgis Night, people trickle out of their houses and offices and head to the roaring bonfires on the beaches, in the parks and almost any other place where there’s room for people to gather.

In the larger cities, those with space in their gardens have their own little bonfires to celebrate with their friends and family, while for others there are often squares or parks set aside for the night’s celebrations. In Stockholm, an annual fireworks display adds a bit more sparkle to the light thrown off from the bonfires, while families in particular head for the Skansen open-air museum, which organizes events for both children and adults during the night. In Finland, where Walpurgis Night is better known as Vappu, the biggest celebrations are also organized by the students. Rain or shine, every year they turn the central squares of Helsinki into a colossal party-ground for the day. The traditional event to mark the start of the festivities is the capping of the famous nude fountain statue, the Havis Amanda. Thousands crowd into Market Square to watch and cheer as a team of students take part in an elaborate scheme to top the statue with a white student’s cap. Once she dons her headwear, the students spray her with champagne and toss soap into the fountain waters – and the party really begins! Another longstanding tradition is the publication of the two magazines, Julkku and Apy.

Though Julkku is an established monthly magazine and Apy is a throwaway gimmick only for Walpurgis, every year they honour the celebrations with appropriately sophomoric, frequently ribald content! After the excitement of thirtieth April, the first of May, or May Day, often comes as a relief. Since the day is a public holiday, it is used as a day to relax and throughout the region, most people go for a picnic in the woods or on the beaches, taking the opportunity to enjoy the bright spring weather. In Sweden, where May Day is also associated with political events, the more politically conscious will spent the day attending trade union meetings or luncheons organized by the various political parties; for others, the day is spent nursing their heads after all the carousing the previous night.

Of Fire and Fairytales: Celebrating Walpurgis Night - GoCambio Of Fire and Fairytales: Celebrating Walpurgis Night 25th April 2016 0 comments Article Events Clarissa Hirst On the evening of the 30th of April, many towns and cities in Central and Northern Europe come alive with spectacular bonfires, choral concerts and some pretty crazy antics led by university students. Haven’t heard of it? Well, it’s time to mark it in your calendar because you’re missing out on one of the biggest parties of the year! Here’s all you need to know about celebrating Walpurgis Night. Origins Walpurgis Night is the English translation of the German Walpurgisnacht and has a long history stemming back to pre-Christian Europe. It’s celebrated every year on the 30th April, with the festivities often continuing the next day. It’s a unique event that combines pagan and Christian traditions. Pagan Folklore Walpurgis Night has a connection with the mysterious and supernatural: it takes place exactly six months after All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) .

And if this uncanny coincidence doesn’t spook you, then just read what Bram Stoker, the author of the Dracula – one of the most spine-tingling novels ever written – had to say: “Walpurgis Night, when, according to the belief of millions of people, the devil was abroad – when the graves were opened and the dead came forth and walked. When all evil things of earth and air and water held revel…It took all my philosophy, all the religion I had been taught, all my courage, not to collapse in a paroxysm of fright.” – Bram Stoker, Dracula’s Guest and Other Weird Tales Sounds like a riot, doesn’t it? This idea of Walpurgis Night as a dark time of witchery and horror comes from pre-Christian Germanic folklore. People believed that the 30th of April was a night of revelry for witches and evil spirits who gathered on Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains of Germany . The 1st of May was considered the first day of Spring and marked the commencement of the harvesting season.

The 30th of April was therefore celebrated as “May Day Eve”, a night when bonfires were burned and a lot of clammer was made to ward off the winter witches and demons and scare off any predators that would attempt to eat the cattle that had been released into the fields for the summer. Image Credit: Wikipedia Commons Saint Walpurga After Christianity spread throughout Europe, the 30th of April became associated with Saint Walpurga, an English missionary to the Frankish empire who became canonised as a Saint on the 1st of May some time in the 9th century. The name Walpurgisnacht literally means “Walpurga’s Night”, referring to the 30th of April as the evening before the Feast of Walpurga that was held the following day. Linguistic variants of Walpurgisnacht, including the Finnish Vappu and the Swedish Valborg, are derived from versions of the name Walpurga. Modern Traditions Walpurgis Night – “Vappu” – in Helsinki 2015.

Image Credit: LEHTIKUVA / Vesa Moilanen Nowadays Walpurgis Night is more about good food, drink and partying all night long than it is about witchcraft or Catholic saints. It’s a chance for communities to get together and for students to indulge their wilder sides. In many parts of northern Europe, Walpurgis Night is one of the biggest events on the university calendar. And for those of you who like the darker history behind this event, don’t despair, parts of the older traditions remain, such as the lighting of massive bonfires and burning of witches (not real ones, of course!) Let’s find out how Walpurgis Night is celebrated in Germany, Scandinavia and the Czech Republic: Germany A view of Wernigerode Castle in the town of Wernigerode situated in the Harz district of Germany. Image Credit: Olli Henze In the German language, Walpurgis Night is known as Walpurgisnacht or Hexennacht (“Witches’ Night”). In the northern parts of the country you can find more traditional celebrations, with people dressing up as witches and celebrating in the Harz Mountains where the tradition originated.

Throughout Germany, many towns and villages erect a “Maibaum” (Maypole) and decorate it with ribbons, and light bonfires to chase away the evil spirits of wintertime. Scandinavia The boat race down the River Fyris in Uppsala, Sweden. Image Credit: (rinse) In Finland , Walpurgis Night is known as Vappu and it’s one of the big four annual holidays (the others being Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and Midsummer), particularly for students. Vappu celebrations begin on the evening of 30 April and continue the following day and are centered around drinking; copious amounts of sima (a low-alcoholic mead), sparkling wine and other alcoholic beverages are consumed. The following day is celebrated with dishes such as gravlax, pickled herring, and a special May Day fritter for dessert. In Sweden the festival, known as Valborgsmässoafton or simply Valborg, is also celebrated with great fervour by university students. The holiday falls at a time when examinations are soon over and the semester is nearing its end, so it’s a premonition of warmer weather and happy times to come.

In the city of Uppsala, students gather early for a champagne breakfast followed by a makeshift boat race down the River Fyris. This is followed by BBQs and more drinking and festivities throughout the day. But don’t be put off by the student crowds; while Valborg has become associated more and more with students it’s certainly not only those attending university who can celebrate. Local community groups organise bonfires and choral concerts in towns and cities across the country for the whole family. Czech Republic Image Credit: Kids in Prague In the Czech Republic the 30th of April is known as pálení čarodějnic (“burning of the witches”) or čarodějnice (“the witches”). Massive bonfires as tall as 8 metres are constructed and set ablaze in the evening, often on the top of hills. Rag and straw witch effigies are burned as a throwback to the older pagan traditions. Parks play host to family-filled festivals where children and parents alike dress up Halloween-style and take part in fun activities during the day. Where to Celebrate Image Credit: wheniscalendars.com The great thing about Walpurgis Night is there is really something for everyone.

No matter if you’re travelling solo, old or young, accompanied by your bachelor friends or your four kids, there’s fun to be had. Here are our top suggestions: Traditional – Harz district: If you want to go straight to the heart of the Walpurgisnacht legend, head for a town in the Harz Mountains such as Wernigerode or Thale. The surrounding regions are steeped in folklore – the Brothers Grimm even collected material for their stories here. It will take you back to the fairytales of you childhood filled with witches, dwarves and cottages buried deep in the woods. Festive – Uppsala/Stockholm: Swing by Uppsala in the morning to watch the boat race down the River Fyris , then move on to the Valborg celebrations in Skansen, Stockholm , an open-air museum. The program kicks off around 3pm with speakers and choral concerts, and there’s free entry for students. Family Fun – Prague: Ladronka Park in Prague hosts the biggest čarodějnice celebration in the Czech Republic. Admission is free and the activities kick off at midday.

Kids can roast sausages on wooden sticks, dress up as witches, and take part in theatre performances, face painting and a Miss Witch competition. So there you have it – our guide to the Walpurgis Night tradition and some tips on where to go to experience it for yourself. Pack your bags and help your host family usher in the arrival of Spring. About the Author: Clarissa Hirst is GoCambio’s Content Manager. A born-and-bred Australian, Clarissa currently calls Sweden home. She’s travelled to over 40 countries, loves learning foreign languages, and her passion is inspiring others to learn about and explore the world around them. She hopes to one day speak fluent Russian and ride the Trans-Siberian railway. Connect with Clarissa on Twitter . Zombie Pumpkins! • View topic - Halfoween? Halfoween? Any topic that doesn't fit in the other categories below. Memories of Halloween, news stories, cool links, and everything else creepy! Halfoween? by pagemaster1993 » Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:15 pm Has anybody heard of such a thing as Halfoween?

If not I guess it is like Christmas in July, but is actually half the days away from Halloween. I never heard of it until last night while watching Legend of Korra. Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 7:18 am Location: Altoona, Pa Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 7:18 am Location: Altoona, Pa Walpurgis Night by Zombie Pumpkins! » Mon Apr 30, 2012 3:02 pm The halfway point to Halloween is a great excuse to celebrate. It also happens to be Walpurgis Night. Here's some info I just wrote up for the blog . Today is April 30th, the eve of May. Some are calling it Halfoween, as the date marks the mid-point between Halloweens. Exactly six more months until All Hallows' Eve. But you need not wait another half-year to celebrate your dark urges. For it is also Walpurgis Night! Celebrated in northern Europe and Scandinavia, the "Walpurgisnacht" tradition hoped to ensure fertility for crops and livestock.

The rituals are often marked with feasting, singing, dancing, and bonfires. All the noise and fires are meant to keep the spirits at bay. You see, this is the evening when witches and their cohorts gather to revel one last time, before the warmth of Spring takes hold. Because Walpurgis Night is supposedly a time when the barrier between our world and the supernatural world is more easily crossed, it's featured quite a bit in popular culture. Some examples (via Wikipedia): In the 1931 film Dracula, a Romanian peasant describes the night on which the film begins as Walpurgis Night. The Bram Stoker short story "Dracula's Guest" takes place on Walpurgisnacht: "Walpurgis Night was when, according to the belief of millions of people, the devil was abroad – when the graves were opened and the dead came forth and walked. When all evil things of earth and air and water held revel." In the H. P. Lovecraft story "The Dreams in the Witch House", Walpurgis Night is referred to as "the Witches' Sabbath", when Hell's blackest evil roamed the earth and all the slaves of Satan gathered for nameless rites and deeds.

The Coffinshakers have a great song called "Walpurgis Night" beginning with the verse: "The witches are flying east from the dying of the sun. Bonfires light up their ride, the night has just begun." Black Sabbath - "Walpurgis" And perhaps my favorite artistic depiction of Walpurgis Night is the closing sequence of Fantasia (Night on Bald Mountain) which portrays the devil Chernabog summoning evil spirits and restless souls from their graves. Disney sure had guts to put this beautiful nightmare in a children's film. The sequence opens with this introduction (which I'm not sure you'd hear in a present-day Disney cartoon): "Bald Mountain, according to tradition, is the gathering place of Satan and his followers. Here on Walpugis Night, which is the equivalent of our own Halloween, the creatures of evil gather to worship their master. Under his spell, they dance furiously." So enjoy your Walpurgis Night tonight in your own way, be it a Halfoween party, a spring feast, or a backyard bonfire.

At the very least, enjoy this classic piece of Disney animation: by Kayo » Tue May 01, 2012 1:46 am Zombie Pumpkins! wrote: Today is April 30th, the eve of May. Some are calling it Halfoween, as the date marks the mid-point between Halloweens. Exactly six more months until All Hallows' Eve. But you need not wait another half-year to celebrate your dark urges. For it is also Walpurgis Night! Celebrated in northern Europe and Scandinavia, the "Walpurgisnacht" tradition hoped to ensure fertility for crops and livestock. The rituals are often marked with feasting, singing, dancing, and bonfires. All the noise and fires are meant to keep the spirits at bay. You see, this is the evening when witches and their cohorts gather to revel one last time, before the warmth of Spring takes hold. Because Walpurgis Night is supposedly a time when the barrier between our world and the supernatural world is more easily crossed, it's featured quite a bit in popular culture. Some examples (via Wikipedia): ... doesn't that just make it beltaine?

(i really only know celtic holidays) Zombies ate my brain by Zombie Pumpkins! » Tue May 01, 2012 6:34 am Kayo wrote: doesn't that just make it beltaine? (i really only know celtic holidays) It would seem that they are related. In the sense that many European countries to have similar spring festivals on April 30 or May 1. Some call it May Day, which is related to the Celtic festival of Beltane and the Germanic festival of Walpurgis Night. Finland has Walpurgis Day. Sweden has Valborg. Estonia has Spring Day. Czech Republic has "Burning of the Witches." Germany has Walpurgisnacht. Ireland and Scotland have Beltane. Like with all holidays, different traditions and cultures mix over the centuries. But common themes among these seem to involve a celebration of spring, feasting, bonfires, and other-worldly beings like witches. Walpurgis Night seems to be a commonly used name to group these sort of holidays, where the term has cropped up quite a bit in pop culture stories of the supernatural. Last edited by Zombie Pumpkins!

on Tue May 01, 2012 6:36 am, edited 1 time in total. by Kayo » Tue May 01, 2012 11:14 am Zombie Pumpkins! wrote: Kayo wrote: doesn't that just make it beltaine? (i really only know celtic holidays) It would seem that they are related. In the sense that many European countries to have similar spring festivals on April 30 or May 1. Some call it May Day, which is related to the Celtic festival of Beltane and the Germanic festival of Walpurgis Night. Finland has Walpurgis Day. Sweden has Valborg. Estonia has Spring Day. Czech Republic has "Burning of the Witches." Germany has Walpurgisnacht. Ireland and Scotland have Beltane. Like with all holidays, different traditions and cultures mix over the centuries. But common themes among these seem to involve a celebration of spring, feasting, bonfires, and other-worldly beings like witches.

Walpurgis Night seems to be a commonly used name to group these sort of holidays, where the term has cropped up quite a bit in pop culture stories of the supernatural. cool who said carving pumpkins wasn't educational? if it were not for my love of pumpkins i wouldn't know any of that Zombies ate my brain Walpurgus | Article about Walpurgus by The Free Dictionary Walpurgus | Article about Walpurgus by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Walpurgis Night Walpurgis Night falls on the evening of April 30. In past times many people feared that witches were especially active on this day and evening (see also Easter Witches). Northern and central European folklore warned that these menacing figures prowled in the twilight dusk, waiting until the dark hours of the night to gather together for a wild feast and frolic. Rumors circulated as to the exact location of this fearsome gathering. Many believed that it might lie on Mount Brocken (Brockenberg), in Germany's Harz Mountains. On Walpurgis Night people took extra precautions to prevent passing witches from harming their families, homes, and fields.

Folk tradition taught that loud noises frightened away witches. Therefore, people rang church bells, slammed doors, hit pots and pans, and cracked whips. They also lit bonfires and torches, raised crosses, and decorated their homes with rosemary and birch boughs, all of which were thought to repel witches. Little remains of these Walpurgis Night beliefs today. In past times, however, they were so common that they inspired the great German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) to depict a Walpurgis Night witches' sabbath in his famous play, Faust (1808-32). In the play the devil, who goes by the name of Mephistopheles, takes Faust to this sinister event. In addition, vivid images of a midsummer's night witches' festival on Mount Brocken spurred Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) to write his well-known piece, Night on Bald Mountain (1867), also known as Saint John's Night on Bare Mountain. The Scandinavian and German-speaking countries produced most of Europe's Walpurgis Night witch lore.

Nevertheless, in some other European countries the evening was also thought to have an eerie quality about it. In England and Ireland, old folk traditions taught special methods for protecting oneself from witchcraft on this night. Irish lore hinted that the fairies fought one another over the ripening crops on this evening. Why April 30? Some folklorists point out that Walpurgis Night falls on the evening before May Day, a day long associated in folklore with the death of winter, the birth of spring, and the celebration of nature. Walpurgis Night itself falls exactly six months from Halloween, another evening associated with uncanny forces and supernatural encounters in European folklore. Some folklorists speculate that in past times people viewed these two dates as turning points in the cycle of the year, and thus as times when the walls dividing the natural and the supernatural worlds waned thin. Contemporary Customs In the Czech Republic people still light large bonfires on the evening of April 30. In the old days, people believed that the bonfires protected them from witches. Not only could witches harm people and livestock, but they also caused winter and cold weather to linger on.

Czech folklore advised that burning an effigy of a witch - that is, a life-sized dummy made to resemble a witch - hastened the coming of warm weather. Today people no longer fear witches. Nevertheless, the old custom of lighting a May eve bonfire remains. People kindle the flames close to nightfall and sit close beside them, singing songs and roasting sausages in the flames. When it's dark they toss an ugly effigy of a witch into the flames. In the Czech Republic this oncefearful evening has become an occasion for some outdoor fun. Swedes still celebrate Walpurgis Night, although contemporary Swedish festivities have little to do with witches. Instead they commemorate the death of winter and the birth of spring. University students, in particular, participate in Walpurgis Night observances, sometimes by gathering for rallies at which a speaker solemnly and formally announces the arrival of spring. In Sweden the lengthening days serve as a better guide to the changing seasons than does the weather. In this far northern land snow may still blanket the ground on April 30. In keeping with ancient traditions, the Swedes continue to light bonfires on this evening, often on hilltops or on mounds.

These days, however, the fires aren't stoked by anxious farmers seeking protection from malicious witchcraft, but rather by young lovers hoping the flames will enhance the spell that attracts them to one another. Finns celebrate May eve, which they call Vappu, with singing, dancing, and revelry in the streets. In Helsinki students, and former students, wear their traditional white caps for this night of lively street activity and parties. Some may even swim across the moat that surrounds the statue of Havis Amanda in order to adorn her with a cap. On May Day students and workers stage parades. Finally, Walpurgis Night celebrations have become an important tourist attraction in Germany's Harz Mountains. In a bid to attract travelers to the region, promoters have stamped the image of the witch on everything from hotel brochures to beer steins. The village of Schierke, located at the foot of Mount Brocken, hosts about six thousand people each year for their Walpurgis Night celebrations. The day begins with a children's costume parade, in which kindergartners dress as witches and devils.

Later that evening people assemble in a local park which takes on the appearance of a fairground, complete with booths selling local crafts, drinks, and foods. Fair-goers enter into the spirit of the event, dressing as witches, goblins, vampires, and valkyries, the magical maiden-warriors from Scandinavian mythology. The evening's festivities take place around a huge bonfire and include a pantomime play as well as a fireworks display. Rival celebrations take place in other villages of the region. Walpurga Most writers state that Walpurgis Night takes its name from the saint whose feast is celebrated on the following day. St. Walburg or Walpurga (c. 710-779) grew up to become a nun and, upon the invitation of her brother, Willibald, bishop of Eichstätt (700-787), took up the post of abbess of Heidenhem, near Nuremberg, Germany. She died on February 25, 779, but on May 1, 870, religious authorities transferred her remains to Eichstätt, where a church had been built in her name.

Her feast day is celebrated on May 1 in honor of this event. Walpurga is the patroness of the diocese of Eichstätt and also the city of Antwerp, Belgium. Folk belief has credited her with the power to ward off magical harms as well as the ability to protect the harvest. A few writers suggest instead that a little-known minor deity, also known as Walpurga, gave her name to the mythical festival of witches on Mount Brocken. According to local folklore Walpurga, who was associated with the woods and springtime, could tell the future with her three-cornered mirror and carried a magical spindle and thread. These attributes may signify her to be a variant of Holde, or Frau Holle, another, more popular German goddess. According to one tale the Wild Hunt, a troop of ghostly figures that rides the night skies during winter, chased Walpurga during the last nine nights before May Day. Walpurga sought protection from mortals during these nights, often entering the homes of kindly villagers through a window thoughtfully left open. Like Holda, Walpurga was believed to reward those who helped her. Further Reading Blackburn, Bonnie, and Leofranc Holford-Strevens.

The Oxford Companion to the Year. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1999. Casanova, Gertrude. "Walburga, St." In Charles G. Herbermann et al., eds. The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Appleton, 1913. Available online at: Frazer, James George. The New Golden Bough. Theodor H. Gaster, ed. New York: S. G. Phillips, 1959. Griffin, Robert H., and Ann H. Shurgin, eds. The Folklore of World Holidays. Second edition. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1999. Harvey, Steenie. "Season of the Witch." The World and I 16, 4 (April 2001): 260. Henderson, Helene, and Sue Ellen Thompson, eds. Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary. Second edition. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, 1997. Ince, Sarah. The Magical Year. Richmond, VA: Time-Life Books, 1992. Nollen, Tim.

Festivals of the World: Czech Republic. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 1999. Web Sites This web page, part of German instructor Robert J. Shea's site on German folk customs, offers additional Walpurgis Night folklore: . com/shea/germusa/walpurgi.htm Another informative page on St. Walpurga, sponsored by Catholic Community Forum: Walpurgis Night (Walpurgisnacht)

Question: In which month of the year is Walpurgis Night celebrated in Europe and Scandinavia?
Answer: APRIL